Ok - I know Guzzi's are known for rattles and making other "charismatic noises", but my 1400 Audace (with the euro 4 emissions stuff - if that's in any way relevant) has a strange rattle and I'm not sure if its a "feature" (as in - they all do that sir) or something that needs adjustment/looking at. I'm new to Guzzi's (this is my first) so have nothing to go on. It's not getting any worse, but now it's messed with my head so much that I'm listening for it - Sometimes I imagine it's there when it isn't !!!
I've posted a video here -
You can hear it sounds fine at idle (this was made just after returning from a ride) but near the end when the camera moves to the RHS/front of the bike (@ 50 secs) and I rev it to about 2400 rpm, you can hear a fairly loud, "hard edged" rattle/tapping at that rpm which is not present (nearly so much) at other revs and not at idle. Is this typical?
It also gets louder as the engine warms up but it's not that hot around here at the moment (low to mid 20's Celsius) so I doubt it's due to any kind of detonation/pinking. Some days it doesn't make the noise at all, or will start up after a ride and short stop. I can't drive around that rpm as obviously I have to go up and down the gears every time I stop. I can hear it most when my full face visor is up (for the cool air) as the sound seems to bounce off the visor directly to my ears implying it's pretty much under my face, e.g. cylinder heads, but closing my visor, I can hardly hear it at all (it's the same on my other helmet - both good full face Shoei's). I also use disposable ear plugs and I'm thinking of getting some custom ones made just because of this.
It sounds to me like it could be tappet rattle, but I've had the covers off now three times and checked the clearances. Got back wheel off the ground, long screw driver down the spark plug hole, roate wheel for TDC and make sure inlet and exhaust are both open and the clearances are "by the book" when stone cold. I've only done 5000 Km. I also use premium fuel (91 octane around here, sometimes 94). I also use the Motul 7100 10w60 oil
I've wrenched everything I can get to and it's all tight. I thought it might be exhaust heat shields as this is common, but I took them all off and went for a ride and it's no different. I've looked on the forums and can't see anything else that might explain it. Maybe they all just make that noise, but as I say some days it doesn't - more Guzzi character?.
Any suggestions?
One last thing, possibly unrelated, a few minutes into a new ride (between 5 and 10 mins) that involves stop-start traffic. I'm sitting at the lights and then there's a strange "whirring" noise starts up and the engine note changes and the revs drop slightly. I can't believe it's the oil fan, since the ride has just started and besides, I've heard the fan before and it didn't sound like that - any ideas what this might be?
I've posted a video here -
You can hear it sounds fine at idle (this was made just after returning from a ride) but near the end when the camera moves to the RHS/front of the bike (@ 50 secs) and I rev it to about 2400 rpm, you can hear a fairly loud, "hard edged" rattle/tapping at that rpm which is not present (nearly so much) at other revs and not at idle. Is this typical?
It also gets louder as the engine warms up but it's not that hot around here at the moment (low to mid 20's Celsius) so I doubt it's due to any kind of detonation/pinking. Some days it doesn't make the noise at all, or will start up after a ride and short stop. I can't drive around that rpm as obviously I have to go up and down the gears every time I stop. I can hear it most when my full face visor is up (for the cool air) as the sound seems to bounce off the visor directly to my ears implying it's pretty much under my face, e.g. cylinder heads, but closing my visor, I can hardly hear it at all (it's the same on my other helmet - both good full face Shoei's). I also use disposable ear plugs and I'm thinking of getting some custom ones made just because of this.
It sounds to me like it could be tappet rattle, but I've had the covers off now three times and checked the clearances. Got back wheel off the ground, long screw driver down the spark plug hole, roate wheel for TDC and make sure inlet and exhaust are both open and the clearances are "by the book" when stone cold. I've only done 5000 Km. I also use premium fuel (91 octane around here, sometimes 94). I also use the Motul 7100 10w60 oil
I've wrenched everything I can get to and it's all tight. I thought it might be exhaust heat shields as this is common, but I took them all off and went for a ride and it's no different. I've looked on the forums and can't see anything else that might explain it. Maybe they all just make that noise, but as I say some days it doesn't - more Guzzi character?.
Any suggestions?
One last thing, possibly unrelated, a few minutes into a new ride (between 5 and 10 mins) that involves stop-start traffic. I'm sitting at the lights and then there's a strange "whirring" noise starts up and the engine note changes and the revs drop slightly. I can't believe it's the oil fan, since the ride has just started and besides, I've heard the fan before and it didn't sound like that - any ideas what this might be?
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